• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.310-315
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• 2014

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a member of the genus Begomovirus, is responsible for one of the most devastating viral diseases in tomato-growing countries and is becoming a serious problem in many subtropical and tropical countries. The climate in Korea is getting warmer and developing subtropical features in response to global warming. These changes are being accompanied by TYLCV, which is now becoming a large problem in the Korean tomato industry. The most effective way to reduce damage caused by TYLCV is to breed resistant varieties of tomatoes. To accomplish this, it is necessary to establish a simple inoculation technique for the efficient evaluation of resistance to TYLCV. Here, we present the rolling circle amplification (RCA) method, which employs a bacteriophage using phi-29 DNA polymerase for construction of infectious TYLCV clones. The RCA method is simple, does not require sequence information for cloning, and is less expensive and time consuming than conventional PCR based-methods. Furthermore, RCA-based construction of an infectious clone can be very useful to other emerging and unknown geminiviruses in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 2007

Effective communicable disease surveillance systems are the basis of the national disease prevention and control. Following the increase in emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases since late 1990s, the Korean government has strived to enhance surveillance and response system. Since 2000, sentinel surveillance, such as influenza sentinel surveillance, pediatric sentinel surveillance, school-based sentinel surveillance and ophthalmological sentinel surveillance, was introduced to improve the surveillance activities. Electronic reporting system was developed in 2000, enabling the establishment of national database of reported cases. Disweb, a portal for sharing communicable disease information with the public and health care workers, was developed. In general, the survey results on usefulness and attributes of the system, such as simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, sensitivity, timeliness, and representa-tiveness, received relatively high recognition. Compared to the number of paid cases of national health insurance, reported cases by national notifiable disease surveillance system, and various sentinel surveillance system, the result of the correlation analysis was high. According to the research project conducted by KCDC, the reporting rate of physicians in 2004 has also greatly improved, compared with that in 1990s. However, continuous efforts are needed to further improve the communicable disease surveillance system. Awareness of physicians on communicable disease surveillance system must be improved by conducting education and information campaigns on a continuous basis. We should also devise means for efficient use of various administrative data including cause of death statistics and health insurance. In addition, efficiency of the system must be improved by linking data from various surveillance system.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was conducted to suggest the direction of follow-up research by comparing and analyzing studies related to emerging infectious diseases (EID) in the field of nursing published in Korea since 2000 and before the outbreak of COVID-19 to identify overall themes and trends. Methods: The data search period was limited to papers from 2000 to 2019, and a literature review was conducted through a domestic DB search. 1574 papers extracted through search terms were excluded according to the criteria, and the final 39 papers were selected and analyzed. Results: Nursing studies related to EID consisted of 35 quantitative studies and most of them were descriptive research studies. As for specific disease types, MERS accounted for the largest number with 22, followed by 11 influenza A, 4 EID and 2 SARS. Nurses were the most common subjects with 19 cases (48.7%), and the number of study subjects was 200 or more, 23 cases (59.0%). The outcome variables of the analysis target literature were infection prevention behavior performance, knowledge, attitude, stress, anxiety, nursing intention, and infection control. Conclusion: This study is meaningful in suggesting the direction of follow-up research by identifying the trends in EID research.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2020.07a
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• pp.625-628
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• 2020

현재 지구촌은 신종 감염병인 '코로나바이러스 감염증-19(COVID-19)로 인해 혼란을 겪고 있다. 우리나라의 경우 1만 명 이상 감염자가 발생하였으며, 사망자 역시 200여 명이 넘었다. 하지만 위와 같은 감염병을 치료하기 위한 백신은 계속 개발중에 있으며, 현재는 감염 예방 수칙으로 감염의 위험성에서 벗어나고 있는 실정이다. 또, 지구촌에 큰 혼란을 주었던 사스, 신종플루, 메르스와 같이 주로 호흡기를 통해 타인에게 전파되는 신종 감염병 출현 빈도 역시 계속 증가하고 있다. 이외에는 황사, 미세먼지에 관한 문제들로 인해 일상속에서 이뤄지는 생활 방역의 중요성이 대두되고 있는 상황이다. 본 논문에서는 생활 방역의 대표적 수칙인 마스크 착용에서 상황별 올바른 마스크 선택의 중요성을 알려주어 시민의식을 높일 수 있는 VR 연동 'Wearing a Mask' 구현에 대해 제안하고자 한다.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.294-300
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• 2018

The development and management of epidemiology intelligence service (EIS) officer with more specialized competence to cope with and prepare for health threats, including pandemic of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, is a high priority policy issue in Korea. First of all, we need to establish the training goal of EIS officer. It is necessary to establish manpower training and management system with at least three tiers including quantitative and qualitative targets. Second, at least 50% of all EIS officer must secure a physician and secure expertise and competence for epidemic. Third, for the ultimate purpose of EIS officer, the establishment of a public health expert should expand the scope of epidemiologist's work to health and medical care, occupational environment, and various disasters. Fourth, it is essential to expand the epidemiologist training and education program to the level of advanced countries. Especially, the training course should be expanded at least twice of current times. Fifth, it is necessary to independently install and operate the 'EIS Officer Training Center' as a mid- and long-term goal. Stewardship and governance are secured with the organization, personnel, etc. that can fully manage the planning, management, and evaluation of the EIS system. In the future, it will be necessary to establish a systematic and phased operational base of education and training programs for EIS officer, and establish a sustainable implementation system for strategy development. In addition, it is urgent to revise the guidelines for training public health professionals and strengthening competencies, and for establishing professional educational institutions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.521-525
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• 2018

Rodents are well-known reservoirs and vectors of many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, but little is known about their role in zoonotic disease transmission in Bhutan. In this study, a cross-sectional investigation of zoonotic disease pathogens in rodents was performed in Chukha district, Bhutan, where a high incidence of scrub typhus and cases of acute undifferentiated febrile illness had been reported in people during the preceding 4-6 months. Twelve rodents were trapped alive using wire-mesh traps. Following euthanasia, liver and kidney tissues were removed and tested using PCR for Orientia tsutsugamushi and other bacterial and rickettsial pathogens causing bartonellosis, borreliosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, leptospirosis, and rickettsiosis. A phylogenetic analysis was performed on all rodent species captured and pathogens detected. Four out of the 12 rodents (33.3%) tested positive by PCR for zoonotic pathogens. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella grahamii, and B. queenslandensis were identified for the first time in Bhutan. Leptospira interrogans was also detected for the first time from rodents in Bhutan. The findings demonstrate the presence of these zoonotic pathogens in rodents in Bhutan, which may pose a risk of disease transmission to humans.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.746-753
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• 2023

Viral infectious diseases have been regarded as one of the greatest threats to global public health. The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a stark reminder of the threat posed by emerging viral infections. Developing and producing appropriate and efficient vaccines and therapeutics are the only options to combat this pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for novel vaccine platforms to control and prevent emerging viral diseases. Conventional vaccine platforms, including live-attenuated vaccine and inactivated vaccines, pose limitations in the speed of vaccine development, manufacturing capacity, and broad protection for emergency use. Interestingly, vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate based on the mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform protected against COVID-19, confirming that the nucleoside-modified candidate is a safe and effective alternative to conventional vaccines. Moreover, the prophylactic strategies against the COVID-19 pandemic have been mRNA nucleic acid-based vaccines and nanoparticle-based platforms, which are effective against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Overall, the novel vaccine platform has presented advantages compared with the traditional vaccine platform in the COVID-19 pandemic. This review explores the recent advancements in vaccine technologies and platforms, focusing on mRNA vaccines, digital vaccines, and nanoparticles while considering their advantages and possible drawbacks.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.4
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• pp.313-319
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• 2022

Environmental exposure to air pollution is known to have adverse effects on various organs. Air pollution has greater effects on the pulmonary system as the lungs are directly exposed to contaminants in the air. Here, we review the associations of air pollution with the development, morbidity, and mortality of pulmonary diseases. Short-and long-term exposure to air pollution have been shown to increase mortality risk even at concentrations below the current national guidelines. Ambient air pollution has been shown to be associated with lung cancer. Particularly long-term exposure to particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 ㎛ (PM_2.5) has been reported to be associated with lung cancer even at low concentrations. In addition, exposure to air pollution has been shown to increase the incidence risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and has been correlated with exacerbation and mortality of COPD. Air pollution has also been linked to exacerbation, mortality, and development of asthma. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) has been demonstrated to be related to increased mortality in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, air pollution increases the incidence of infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. Furthermore, emerging evidence supports a link between air pollution and coronavirus disease 2019 transmission, susceptibility, severity and mortality. In conclusion, the stringency of air quality guidelines should be increased and further therapeutic trials are required in patients at high risk of adverse health effects of air pollution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.429-438
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• 2017

For centuries, plants have been used for a wide variety of purposes, from treating infectious diseases to food preservation and perfume production. Presently, the increasing resistance of microorganisms to currently used antimicrobials in combination with the appearance of emerging diseases requires the urgent development of new, more effective drugs. Plants, due to the large biological and structural diversity of their components, constitute a unique and renewable source for the discovery of new antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic compounds. In the present paper, the history, composition, and antimicrobial activities of the basil, oregano, and thyme essential oils are reviewed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.360-372
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• 2019

Macrophages play an essential role not only in mediating the first line of defense but also in maintaining tissue homeostasis. In response to extrinsic factors derived from a given tissue, macrophages activate different functional programs to produce polarized macrophage populations responsible for inducing inflammation against microbes, removing cellular debris, and tissue repair. However, accumulating evidence has revealed that macrophage polarization is pivotal in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndromes and cancer, as well as in infectious and autoimmune diseases. Recent advances in transcriptomic and metabolomic studies have highlighted the link between metabolic rewiring of macrophages and their functional plasticity. These findings imply that metabolic adaption to their surrounding microenvironment instructs activation of macrophages with functionally distinct phenotypes, which in turn probably leads to the pathogenesis of a wide spectrum of diseases. In this review, we have introduced emerging concepts in immunometabolism with focus on the impact on functional activation of macrophages. Furthermore, we have discussed the implication of macrophage plasticity on the pathogenesis of metabolic syndromes and cancer, and how the disease microenvironment manipulates macrophage metabolism with regard to the pathophysiology.